After two years of virtual events, The Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Ontario will return as an in-person event for 2023.
Locally, the polar plunge fundraiser will be held on Saturday, January 21 at Sons of Kent Brewing Company in Chatham with options for a daytime plunge at 2 p.m. and a plunge under the lights at 6 p.m.
"We're really excited to get back in-person and doing what we do best with our Polar Plunge event," Chatham-Kent Police Constable Jason Herder.
Participants will once again meet up to jump in an ice-cold pool of water. For the last in-person event in early 2020, the CK Polar Plunge raised $46,310, which was the highest amount that was seen raised locally to date. The 2020 jump also saw 160 participants take the jump, marking a new record for Chatham-Kent.
Due to pandemic restrictions, the event was held virtually or hybrid across the province in 2021 and 2022. The Chatham-Kent plunge brought in around $16,000 each of those years.
"We've set a goal for $40,000 for this year's plunge," Herder explained. "Obviously we're hoping to exceed that goal, but that's the goal for our 2023 plunge."
According to Herder, all of the proceeds raised go directly towards Special Olympics Ontario.
"It supports those with intellectual abilities to be included in sport," he said. "That includes, which is most commonly known as the games... That also goes to their training and local programming as well."
Registration for the 2023 Polar Plunge is $30, or free if you fundraise $75.
You can find more information about donating or registering by clicking here.
